Trap.



W. C. STILSON.

TRAP..

APPLrcATmN Huso ocr. musa.

@Hill ll I I TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

patented Dec. d, 1917.

Application filed October 11, 1913. Serial No. 794,563.

To all whom z' may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. S'rrLsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Morrison, in the county of Whiteside and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Traps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates particularly to mouse-traps, rat-traps, etc.; and the primary object of the invention is to provide a trap which can be readily set in a secure manner, which is capable, nevertheless, of being easily sprung, which is durable, andwhich can be manufactured at such a low cost as to enable itto be sold with profit at a popular price.

The invention is illustrated, in its preferred embodiment, in the accompanying drawing, in which-1 Figure 1 represents a plan view of my improved trap in the sprung condition; Fig; 2, a vertical sectional view, taken as indicated at line 2 of Fig. 1, but showing the trap in the set condition; Fig. 8, a sectional View, similar to Fig. 2, showing a slight modication and showing the trap in one condition which it assumes while being set; and F ig. 4, a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the modified form of trap in set condition, the dotted lines indicating the position of the striker at one point in the operation of setting the trap. j

Referring to Figs. 1 to 2 inclusive, the trap, as there shown, comprises a base-plate or frame A; a striker B equipped with a spring B; a.latch-lever C; and a trip-member D.

, The base-plate or frame A comprises a comparatively thin rectangular block of wood, equipped centrallyof its length with Standards 1 which support a pivot 2. The standards or ears 1 may comprise the up-` turned ends of a light metal bar which vhas its web or cross-portion 8 received in a transverse groove with which 'the plate A is provided on its lower surface. The forward part of theplate or board A is provided in its upper surface with a recess 4 adapted to receive bait.`

The striker B, preferably comprises a metal bar of general U-form having arms 5 pivoted at their extremities on a pivot 2 and a web or cross-member 6. The cross-member 6 of the striker is adapted to rest on the front portion of the base A when the trap is in the sprung condition, as shown 1. The member 6 is curved outwardly at points 7 at the junctions with the arms 5, to afford finger-pieces adapted for use in setting the striker. The curved portions 7 also contribute to the resilience of the striker, enabling it to be sprung past the latch-arm of the latch-lever, in the setting operation, in case of necessity.

In the form shown, the spring B comprises coils 8 supported on the pivot 2; a web 9 formed integrally with arms 10 extending rearwardly from the inner ends of the coils 8, the web 9 resting on the base A; and arms 11 engaging the arms 5 of the striker, it being understood that the spring is normally under some tension in the position shown in Fig. 1, and that the tension is increased when the striker is moved to the position shown .in Fig. 2. Thelatcl1-lever C is supported on a pivot 12 adjacent the rear edge of the base-plate A. The pivot 12 may constitute the web of a staple which has arms or brads l2a extending into the rear edgeportion of the base-plate. The latch-lever preferably comprises a metal bar of angular form, and having an upturned latch-engaging short arm 13, and a forwardly extending long arm 14 which uprojects to a point above the pivot 2. The' arm 13 has a forwardly projecting nose-portion 13a adapted to engage the cross-member 6 of the striker. The nosc-portion 13a is rounded on its upper side, as indicated at. 13b.

The trip-member D is preferably formed of sheet metal, and preferably comprises a front arm 15 and a rear arm 16. The front arm 15 is preferably made comparatively wide to afford a 4tread-portion, and is provided with an opening 15a adapted to register with the recess 4. T he lateral edge-pon tions of the rear part of the member D are turned downwardly to afford flanges 17, which are provided at their front portions with perforations through which the pivot 2 extends. The arm 16 of the member D is shown cut away in the rear of the pivot 2, as indicated at 16a. At the rear end of arm 16 is left the yoke or cross-piece 16", which tion of the arm or tongue is provided, in`

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I front of the opening 16, with an upwardly struck einbossn'ient 15", which is adapted t0 slightly overlie the front extremity of the arm 14 of the latch-lever, and thereby lock the latch-lever in the striker-holding position.

Where the pivot 12 is formed in the Inanner illustrated, the base-plate A is provided centrally at the rear portion of its upper surface with a recess 18 adapted to accommodate the elbowportion of the latchlever C.

To set the trap, it is only necessary to grasp the striker at the points 7 and swing the striker from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 2, when the cross-member 6 of the striker will pass below the noseportion 13a of the latch-me1n ber C, and the latch-member will automatically engage the striker. At the same time, the trip-member D, overbalancing to the rear, will automatically lock the latch-lever, as shown in Fig. 2. It will be noted that the upward pressure of the striker will tend to swing the arm 13 of the latch-lever rearwardly, and will tend to swing the arm 151 upwardly. This action is resisted by the trip-lever D whose rear arm 16 rests, in the illustration given, on the base-plate. The slightest downward pressure on the front end of the arm 15 of the trip-lever will suffice to rock the member D forwardly on the pivot 2, thereby releasing the latch-lever and thus unlocking the striker. Inasxnuch as the arm 14 is relatively vlong as compared with the arm 13, and the member 15b of the trip-lever engages the extremity of the arm 14 at a point practically above the pivot 2, it will be understood that while the striker will be most securely held by the latch-lever, nevertheless the trip action can be effected by use of the slightest pressure. So delicate is the action, indeed, that a breath upon the arm 15 of the trip-lever is sulicient to effect release.

To provide for some inequality in the. positioning of the pivot 12 in actual manufacture, it may be desirable to make the long arm of the latch-lever a trifle longer than is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. Such an expedient is employed in the construction shown in Figs. 3 and 4, where the construction is exactly like the construction heretofore described, except that the long arm of the latch-lever, designated 14a, is made of slightly greater length than in the construction heretofore described. The other" parts are similar to the parts heretofore described and are correspondingly designated. Where the arm 14a 'is thus lengthened, it may be possible for the extremity of the arm to assume a position above the member lo", as shown in Fig. 3, in which case the arm 1l will be moved downwardly to a position below the member 15" by pressing the striker downwardly somewhat below the position shown in vFig. 3, it being noted that the crossmemher 6 of the Striker will engage. the arm il slightly in front of the pivot l2, so that the arm ll. will be depressed, in `which operation the extremity Of the arm 1.4 will tilt the trip-men1lnr D forwardly somewhat, allowing the extremity of the arm 14e to pass below the member 15b.

Again, the extremity of the arm let may assume a position below the member 15", while the striker may engage the nose-piece 13L of the latch-lever, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 4. ln such case, the crossmember t5 of the striker will yield or bend forwardly in passinfr the nose-piece when the striker is forced downwardly to the locking position shown in full lines.

A trap of the. character described is of simple construction, capable of b"ing easily set without danger to the user. is reliable and durable, and may be manufactured at very low cost. The latching-operation occurs automatically in the operation of forcing the striker to the set position,

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no undue limitation should be understood therefrom, but the appended claim should be construed as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art.

lNhat I regard as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A trap comprising a base-plate equipped above its central portion with a transverse pivot, a U-shaped striker having a central web-portion and arms extending therefrom, the extremities of its arms being connected with said pivot, a spring serving to actnate said striker, a latch-lever pivotally connected with the rear portion of the base-plate and having an upturned latch-arm adapted to engage the. web-portion of the striker, and having a forwaidly-cxtending trip-arm, and a, trip-member supported on said pivot and having a fornuirdlyextending arm and having also a portion disposed above said pivot and spaced to accommodate the free extremity of the trip-arm of said latch-lever between it and said pivot.

WILLAM C. STLSON. In presence of:

A. T. SKELLEY, L. E. VVHISTLER. 

